Chapter 54 - The Hunt Begins
The warehouse was dark.
A single dim bulb hung from the ceiling, flickering every few seconds and casting weak shadows across the concrete floor.
Naina sat in the middle of the room, tied tightly to a chair. Her hands were bound behind her back, and her ankles were tied together. A blindfold covered her eyes, leaving her completely unaware of her surroundings.
She had no idea where she was.
No idea how long she had been there.
The silence was almost worse than anything else.
Naina tried to move her hands, but the ropes only tightened against her wrists.
"Is anyone there?"
Her voice echoed through the empty warehouse.
No answer.
She swallowed nervously.
"Please... just let me go."
Still nothing.
Then she heard it.
Footsteps.
Naina froze.
Someone was walking toward her.
Slowly.
The sound echoed through the warehouse, each step getting closer.
Her breathing became uneven.
"Who's there?"
The footsteps stopped.
Right in front of her.
Naina instinctively pulled against the ropes.
"Please..."
A hand reached toward her face.
The blindfold was suddenly removed.
Naina squeezed her eyes shut against the harsh light before slowly opening them.
A man stood in front of her.
Expensive suit. Calm expression. A cold smile that immediately made her uncomfortable.
Naina stared at him.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled.
"Vikrant Malhotra."
Naina frowned.
"I don't know you."
"You don't need to."
He walked around her slowly.
Naina followed him with her eyes.
"Why am I here?"
Vikrant stopped beside her.
"I really don't have any enmity with you."
"Then let me go."
His smile returned.
"But your dear friend decided to mess with me."
Naina's expression changed.
"My friend?"
Vikrant looked directly at her.
"Aadhira."
The moment she heard the name, Naina understood that this had nothing to do with her personally.
"What did you do to her?"
"Nothing."
"Then why did you kidnap me?"
"Because she refused to do business with me."
Naina stared at him.
"That's why?"
Vikrant's expression hardened.
"You think that's insignificant?"
"You kidnapped me because she rejected a business proposal?"
"You don't understand."
He pulled a chair closer and sat in front of her.
"Do you know how much money she made me lose?"
Naina remained silent.
"I offered her an extremely profitable partnership. I gave her every reason to accept it." His voice became increasingly bitter. "And she simply rejected me."
"Maybe she had a reason."
Vikrant's eyes narrowed.
Naina realized she had struck a nerve.
He leaned forward.
"And do you know what bothered me more than the money?"
Naina didn't answer.
"She looked down on me."
He laughed bitterly.
"She looked at me as if she had the right to decide whether I was worthy of doing business with her."
Naina shook her head.
"That's not Aadhira."
Vikrant raised an eyebrow.
"You think you know her?"
"Better than you do."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Naina's fear was still there, but she refused to let him see how badly she was shaken.
"If you're angry with Aadhira, go after her. I have nothing to do with this."
Vikrant smiled.
"That's exactly why you're useful."
Naina's face fell.
"What do you mean?"
"I may never recover the money I lost."
He stood and walked toward her.
"But I can still get paid another way."
Naina's breathing quickened.
"Please..."
Vikrant stopped in front of her.
"How can I leave the precious friend of Aadhira?"
Naina shook her head.
"She won't give you what you want."
"Then I'll make sure she regrets messing with me."
"You're the one who messed with her."
Vikrant's expression changed.
Naina looked straight at him despite the fear in her eyes.
"You got it wrong. Aadhira didn't do anything to you. You approached her, she said no, and now you're punishing someone who had nothing to do with your business."
Vikrant stared at her.
Naina's voice trembled, but she continued.
"And now you're going to regret kidnapping me."
His jaw tightened.
"Shut up, bitch."
Naina flinched.
Vikrant turned away.
"Let's see who wins."
He walked toward the exit.
"Wait!"
He didn't stop.
"Please!"
The warehouse door slammed shut behind him.
Silence returned.
Naina stared at the closed door, her breathing shaky.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
"Aadhira..."
She lowered her head.
"Where are you?"
---
ASTRA GROUP
Aadhira's office looked nothing like it usually did.
Files were scattered across the conference table. Multiple laptops were open. CCTV footage played on several screens at once.
Arjun stood near one of the monitors.
Kabir was beside him, speaking with the security team.
Rohan hadn't stopped moving since he arrived.
He walked from one screen to another, checking every piece of information they had managed to collect.
Shanaya was speaking to someone on the phone.
"Yes. I need the traffic camera footage from the road outside Naina's office."
She paused.
"No, not just the main road. Every camera within a five-kilometre radius."
Aadhira stood silently in front of the largest screen.
"Go back."
The security officer rewound the footage.
Naina appeared on the screen, walking out of her office.
She was looking at her phone.
Then she reached her car.
A man approached her.
Rohan stepped closer.
"Pause."
The footage froze.
"Who is that?"
The security officer zoomed in.
The image became blurry.
"We can't get a clear face, sir."
"Try the other camera."
Another screen came up.
The same vehicle appeared from another angle.
Aadhira's eyes narrowed.
"Follow the car."
The footage moved forward.
The vehicle disappeared from that camera.
"Where did it go?"
"We're checking."
Rohan clenched his fists.
"How long does it take to check one road?"
Kabir glanced at him.
"Rohan."
"What?"
"Getting angry won't make the cameras move faster."
Rohan looked away.
He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen.
Naina's last message was still there.
He had asked her where she was.
She had replied that she was going home.
Then nothing.
His jaw tightened.
"I should have gone to get her."
Kabir looked at him.
"Don't start blaming yourself."
"I told her to call me when she reached home."
"Rohan."
"I should've-"
"Stop."
Rohan looked at him.
Kabir's voice softened.
"You didn't know this was going to happen."
Rohan looked down.
"But I should've been there."
Aadhira turned toward him.
"Rohan."
He looked at her.
"We'll find her."
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
Rohan nodded silently.
Arjun watched Aadhira carefully.
He knew her well enough to recognize what was happening behind that calm expression.
She was already planning her next move.
"Aadhira," he said.
She looked at him.
"Vikrant?"
Her eyes hardened.
"Yes."
Arjun's expression changed.
"You think he did this?"
"He threatened me today."
Rohan immediately looked at her.
"What did he say?"
"Nothing direct."
Aadhira looked back at the screen.
"But I know his type."
Kabir folded his arms.
"And you think Naina was taken because of your rejection?"
"I don't think."
Aadhira's voice was cold.
"I know."
Before anyone could respond, Shanaya hurried into the room.
" Aadhira."
Aadhira turned.
"We found something."
She placed her tablet on the table.
"One of the traffic cameras caught the vehicle leaving the main road."
She pointed at the screen.
"It turned toward an industrial area."
"Which one?" Aadhira asked.
"We're still narrowing it down."
"Do it."
Shanaya nodded.
Everyone returned to the screens.
Minutes passed.
Then Aadhira's phone vibrated.
She looked down.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
Do you want to see your friend?
Her expression changed.
Arjun noticed.
"What is it?"
Aadhira didn't answer.
Another message appeared.
This time, there was a location.
Aadhira stared at it.
Kabir moved closer.
"Did you get something?"
Aadhira turned the screen toward them.
Rohan immediately looked at the location.
"That's where she is?"
"I think so."
Rohan grabbed his jacket.
"Then let's go."
Aadhira shook her head.
"No."
Rohan stopped.
"What?"
"I'm going alone."
His expression hardened.
"No."
Aadhira looked at him.
"Rohan-"
"I'm coming."
"Naina is my friend too."
"I know."
"Then let me come."
Aadhira shook her head.
"No."
Rohan stepped closer.
"You can't seriously expect me to sit here while you go there alone."
"I do."
"Why?"
"Because that's what Vikrant wants."
Rohan stared at her.
Aadhira continued.
"He took Naina to get to me. If I arrive there with everyone, he might panic. And if he panics, Naina could get hurt."
Rohan's jaw tightened.
"What if you get hurt?"
"I'm capable of protecting myself."
Arjun stepped forward.
"No."
Aadhira turned toward him.
"I can't let you go alone."
"Arjun."
"What happens if something happens to you?"
"I'll handle it."
"You don't know how many people are there."
"I'll handle it."
"Aadhira-"
"I have to go."
Arjun stared at her.
His concern was obvious now.
"I can't just stand here and let you walk into a trap."
Aadhira's expression softened slightly.
"It's not a trap if I know they're waiting for me."
Arjun didn't find that reassuring.
Before he could argue again, Kabir stepped forward.
"Arjun."
Arjun looked at him.
"Let her go."
"What?"
Kabir glanced at Aadhira.
"She's right."
Rohan shook his head.
"How is she right?"
"Because Vikrant wants Aadhira. If all of us go there, he could use Naina as leverage."
Kabir looked at Aadhira.
"But if she goes alone, she has a better chance of getting close enough to find Naina."
Arjun remained silent.
Kabir lowered his voice.
"Trust her."
Aadhira looked at everyone.
"I'll bring Naina back."
Rohan looked away.
Arjun's eyes remained fixed on her.
Aadhira walked toward the door.
"I'll be back in two hours."
Arjun's expression tightened.
"Two hours?"
"I promise."
She paused.
Then she looked at him.
"I'll be back."
Arjun didn't answer.
Aadhira walked out.
---
The moment she entered the parking area, her expression changed.
The worried friend disappeared.
The businesswoman disappeared.
The woman walking toward danger remained.
Aadhira got into her car and closed the door.
For a few seconds, she simply sat there.
Naina's face came to her mind.
Her laughter.
Her teasing.
The way she had stayed beside Aadhira when almost everyone else had walked away.
Aadhira's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
Vikrant had made one mistake.
He had chosen Naina.
Aadhira started the engine.
Then she picked up her phone.
She opened a private conversation.
Her fingers moved quickly across the screen.
Let's go for the hunt.
She sent it.
A few seconds passed.
Then the reply came.
Always, partner.
Aadhira's lips curved into the faintest smile.
She put the phone down.
The car moved out of the parking lot.
Somewhere in Mumbai, Naina was waiting.
Vikrant was waiting.
And Aadhira was coming.
Maybe someone else to.
But this time...
She wasn't going there to negotiate.
She was going there to hunt.
To be continued...